There will be similar rallies in all 50 states, Jackson said. Folks will rally at the Springfield hospital from noon to 2 p.m.

The rallies are intended to highlight chronic pain patients who say they are having trouble finding physicians who will prescribe opioids or pharmacists who will fill their legal prescriptions, Jackson said.

"People are having problems when they go to the ER with acute pain," Jackson said. "Doctors are saying they can't write any pain medication or giving them (only) three to seven days of medicine after having a major surgery like a knee replaced or hip replaced."

Jackson said she thinks the government needs to stay out of the physician's office.

"That's kind of like a lawyer and his client," she said. "That's a bond you don't break."

In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged physicians to avoid prescribing opiates to patients with chronic pain, saying the risks of overdose and addiction far outweigh the benefits for most people.

The CDC issued guidelines for primary care providers regarding prescriptions of opioids, like OxyCotin, Hydrocodone and Vicodin. Doctors are not legally required to follow the guidelines, but the directives have had an influence.

• When opioids are used, the lowest possible effective dosage should be prescribed to reduce risks of opioid use disorder and overdose.

• Physicians should exercise caution when prescribing opioids and monitor all patients closely. This includes checking the prescription drug monitoring program before starting and periodically during the continuation of opioid therapy, using urine drug testing to identify other prescriptions and illicit drugs, and arranging treatment for opioid use disorder.

Jackson said she hopes the CDC will revisit its recommendations and include chronic pain patients, along with cancer, palliative and end-of-life care patients.